Persona Cy
by Cyan Cy
Summary: The year is 2014. Five years after the Tatsumi Port Island Incident, and two after the Inaba Incident, a new report of a shadow outbreak has reached the ears of Mitsuru Kirijo. Due to another incident in America, much of the team is preoccupied. So, it falls to a new group of Persona users, with the occasional help of Junpei Iori, to solve the mysteries of the dark forest.


The world outside of the window looked miniscule, the cars driving back and forth below Seiji's plane looking like mere ants, scurrying towards anthills beyond count. The popping of his ears had finally stopped, and somewhere, on the tip of the wing, the young man could have sworn he saw a butterfly, flying against the wind and somehow keeping up. That was impossible, however. Butterflies would _never_ be able to keep up with an airplane. They'd never be able to survive that high up, either. A blink later, it was gone, and the young man dismissed it as a mere illusion. The flight was surprisingly sparse, numerous seats open. There couldn't have been more than thirty people on a plane that could seat eighty. Seiji found himself curious about that, he expected more people to be coming to Wanaki. It was, after all, one of the largest cities in Japan, and had the busiest airport in the country. Not many people lived where he was from, so it kind of made sense. The military base had been the town's main 'attraction', and its airport was barely even worthy of the term. In the window, Seiji saw his own reflection. He saw the large, hazel eyes that made it apparent he wasn't entirely Japanese. His skin was light, too, and Seiji's hair was a distinctly Caucasian shade of brown. It was only his soft features, and the shape of his eyes that gave away his partially Asian heritage. He found himself being sent to live with a half-brother he'd barely even heard of throughout his life. The teenager was almost completely Americanized due to his upbringing on the base, even as he harbored the same fascination with Japanese culture that many of his peers had, not that Seiji ever had many people one could consider proper 'peers'. His dad was one of the few people on the base who had a kid, and most of the others were like him, the often made fun of 'mutts' that were the offspring of loose Japanese women and sexually frustrated American soldiers looking for a bit of an exotic flavor. Somehow, he managed to not be lonely, despite having few friends, or any real connections to speak of. "Jeez," a man on the row opposite Seiji said, rubbing his forehead. A baseball cap was on his head, backwards, "can't believe Mitsuru sent me out here to check out that rumor. First I missed out o-" The man stopped, mid-sentence, turning to look at Seiji, his eyes wide open. "Heh, sorry kid, didn't mean t'talk to myself."

"It's fine." Seiji said, simply. His voice was deep, straightforward, with a neutral tone that gave no hint towards there being any sort of a hidden meaning. Seiji's expression was equally neutral, his eyes studying the man, who looked to be in his early twenties.

"You're a blank one, aintcha? The name's Junpei. You're one of the kids from that military base, right?" he asked. Seiji nodded in reply, not actually saying anything at that moment. A smirk crossed Junpei's face. "I don't even know ya, but you kind give me the same vibe as someone I knew a long time ago. You mind if I move to your row? I could use someone to talk to. These flights can get pretty boring without company."

"Sure." Seiji replied, nodding again and moving a bag he had placed in the seat beside him to the floor. Junpei stood up, Seiji noting his body was lean. He was dressed casually, in a fur-lined jacket that opened just enough to reveal a charcoal colored undershirt and a necklace with an odd design, which was similar to the one Seiji spied on the front of his cap.

As he sat down, Junpei turned towards Seiji, his easy friendliness apparent to Seiji. "What're you heading to Wanaki on your own for, kid? It isn't any place for people to go alone." There was genuine concern in his voice, as well.

"I'm moving in with my brother while my dad makes arrangements for me to move to the United States with him." Was Seiji's quick reply. Again, his words were straightforward.

"Oh man, I don't envy you. You've been goin' to school on that base, I bet. I hope you're smart, or else real Japanese schools are gonna eat you up. I'm pretty great and _my_ grades were below average. I've never been to the states, but I bet they're nothin' compared to here. Enjoy your time in Wanaki while it lasts, kid. There ain't many places like it in the world. A real metropolis." The way Junpei talked quickly made Seiji forget that he was the younger person in the conversation. He seemed eager to talk**, **and what he had to say was interesting, at least. The small talk continued for some time, with Seiji occasionally interjecting and answering questions, but mainly, he allowed Junpei to lead the conversation, and he seemed content enough with the sound of his own voice. Eventually, their plane began descending, and Junpei nodded towards the window. "Look out the window, kid. First views are always the best." Obedient as ever, Seiji turned and looked out the window. If he were the kind of person who showed reactions on his face, his jaw would have dropped. The city below them was indeed large, with vast freeways and streets going through the city like veins. Wanaki was _massive._ Gargantuan neon signs hung from the sides of buildings, advertising what was within, or showing three-dimensional commercials, interjected with cute shorts featuring various anime characters. "She's a beut, huh?" Seiji saw Junpei's smirk in the reflection of the window. "We'll be landing soon, better buckle up."

Fifteen minutes later, they were on the ground, and exiting the plane. Junpei had been kind enough to help Seiji with his bags, and Seiji raised an eyebrow when the older man only retrieved a single backpack. Junpei clearly travelled light. "Not going to be staying long?" Seiji asked, curiosity accenting his neutral voice.

"As much as I'd like to explore the city, probably not. Here, we'll walk outside." There was a massive crowd in the terminal, and Seiji carried a large suitcase in each arm. Junpei walked beside him at a casual pace, also carrying two suitcases, as the backpack dangled from his shoulders. They were shoulder to shoulder with many other people, and everyone moved to and fro. Seiji had no idea as to what his brother would look like. Somehow, he managed to not get nervous, confident he'd find his brother in the sea of people. They eventually made their way out into a receiving area outside of the airport proper, and off of a newly arrived bus stepped a man that immediately looked at Seiji.

Never in his life had Seiji seen a stranger person. The roots of his hair, and an inch above them, were solid black, yet the ends were spiked, and red. Both ears were pierced, and small, dull gray loops dangled from them. A cigarette was perked between his lips, and he walked towards Seiji, his posture nonchalant, a slouch visible. "Dalton Seiji?" he asked, the l in Dalton sounding surprisingly practiced.

In rather fluent Japanese, Seiji replied, "Yes. Yoshida Takeda?"

"Damn, you're like an anime character come alive. Is the boy in the baseball cap your boyfriend?" There was certain bitterness in his voice, gruff and surprisingly lacking in affection. His eyes were small, lazy, and were accented by loose, scraggly facial hair. From what Seiji could tell, his brother didn't give a damn about his looks, and was content to be scary and odd looking.

"Geez, I can see who got all the charm in this family. I hate to leave you in hands like these, but I've really gotta go. Doubt we'll meet again, but it was fun, kid. Enjoy your stay." Junpei shot him another smile towards Seiji, handed his bags off to Takeda, and walked off, pulling a cell phone out of his pocket. Seiji heard the beginning of his conversation. "Yeah, I'm in Wanaki…"

"He's not my type, really." Seiji commented, smiling slightly. His brother actually laughed at that, the smile making him look slightly scary.

"Well, at least you've got a sense of humor." Soon, however, the smile faded, and they were seated on the bus, Takeda still smoking all the while. The bus ride continued in mostly silence. The city rolled past them, and they got caught in a few traffic jams. "Look," Takeda finally said, turning towards Seiji for the first time, after staring out of the window for the entire trip. "We're almost to my place. Don't expect me to be buddy-buddy with you. Mom forced you off on me, and don't expect me to be happy about it. My place is one room plus a tiny-ass bathroom. Maybe you'll be able to taste the water for the rust and grime, and hopefully you don't mind sharing the room with a few families of cockroaches. I'll be kind, though. You can have the mattress, I sleep on the couch." A malicious smile spread across Takeda's face, like he'd told a joke that only he understood. Seiji didn't say anything in reply. That seemed to amuse Takeda. "Thank god you're quiet, I was afraid you'd be a prick that loved the sound of his own voice."

Five minutes after the one-sided exchange, the bus stopped at a stop immediately in front of a store named 'Manga-Max'. A smiling Jack Frost was holding up the world 'manga', whilst his brother Pyro Jack held up the 'Max'. Seiji could say he liked the sign. "Don't gawk at it, those characters are designed to appeal to lovers of cute things, they have no depth." Seiji blinked, almost speaking.

He was interrupted however, as they stepped off of the bus. "I've been waiting for thirty minutes on you. I could tell you weren't in 'cause the place didn't stink of booze and cigs for once." A teenager who looked to be a year or so younger than Seiji commented, a slight smile on his face to show that he wasn't serious. His hair was a dark shade of brown, his features being distinctly Asian, yet masculine.

"Fuck off, Take." Takeda said, a slight smile also on his face, to indicate an equal lack of seriousness. "You seriously need to find something better to do with your time, reading manga won't do you any good. Hold up, I'll sneak you a copy of Shonen Dash. Don't leak the spoilers onto the internet again; I knew that was you last time. Oh, this is my brother. His name's Seiji. Make friends with him or some shit while I go in and get your magazine. I was closed an hour ago, you little ass." Without another word, Takeda unlocked the door and went inside the shop.

"How'd a guy who hates manga that much end up working in a shop filled with the stuff? Pretty stupid if you ask me. Are you going to Dakkino High? If so, I'll be your classmate. Name's Takeda, same as your brother. Just call me Take, everyone else has since I was like, twelve." Take said, his voice amused and jovial. In some slight way, he reminded Seiji of Junpei. That wasn't a bad thing.

"Yeah, I'm going to Dakkino High. This is my first time going to a 'real' school. I've lived on a military base my entire life."

As soon as Take heard 'military base', his eyes lit up. "You lived on a base, huh? You guys ever get to play paintball?"

"Yeah," Seiji began, "they let us play every now and then. I got to help with a war game once. I thought they frowned upon paintball in Japan."

That seemed to amuse Take. "Listen to the Japanese government? Ha, you're funny. I have some friends who urban explore, and we play in abandoned buildings and stuff. It's pretty intense. I nearly got killed one time, actually, when a floor collapsed under me."

"It can't be as bad as almost being hit by a live tank round."

"Bullshit," Take immediately replied, "how'd that happen?"

"Mixups like that happen a lot in war games. Usually nobody gets hurt. I can go back and get a leg blown off, if it'll make you believe me." Seiji commented.

A smirk crossed Take's face, and he soon broke into laughter. "Nah, that's fine. I'll know you're full of shit if I paint you red though. You're pretty cool. I'm sure you know school starts the day after tomorrow. Classes won't get into full force until the second day, thank God. I don't know if you're into paranormal stuff or not, but the guys and girl in the paranormal club are pretty cool. There are four of us in all. The club president is pretty is pretty weird, but I think you and him would click. We mostly just hang out and play indie horror games on our Vapor accounts, anyway."

In truth, Seiji _had _once entertained an interest in the paranormal, ghost stories, and he knew quite a good deal about video games. Quickly, he nodded. "Yeah, that sounds fun. I'll step by once we're all free tomorrow."

Conveniently, Takeda stepped outside as the conversation drew to a close. It was almost as if he'd timed how their conversation would go, or he'd been listening for the right moment to step in. "Here you go, man." Takeda quickly handed a paper sack, wrapped around a thick paperback book. Seiji had read a few issues of Shonen Dash in his time. "Seriously, find a better hobby. At least shooting people with paintballs is something you can talk to chicks about, you know."

"I don't need a single twenty-three year old guy to give me relationship advice, thanks." With that, Take was off, leaving the brothers alone.

"Well, come along. Let me show you my palace." Again, a sinister grin spread across Takeda's face. On the side of the shop was a metal staircase, leading to an upstairs apartment. Quickly, the red haired man pulled out a key and fumbled with the lock, shoving against the door once the lock clicked. Immediately, the smell of stale alcohol assaulted Seiji's nostrils, causing him to feel lightheaded. Somehow, Seiji mustered his courage and stepped inside. Dinner plates were piled up on the floor by a long couch, which was the cleanest piece of furniture in the room. On the other end of the room, facing it was a small television which had a Playstation 2 attached to it, with a variety of imported American games sitting on top. Clothes were strewn across the floor, the pants and shirts twisted into a variety of poses which looked like they would be home at crime scenes. Off in the corner was a mattress, lying on the floor with a pair of pillows. Stains were strewn across the bare mattress, and a stench rose off of it, which made Seiji curl his nose. He understood the joke, now. After setting his suitcases down by the mattress, the out of depth teenager took a seat on the couch, his brother soon joining him, after retrieving a bottle of beer out of the mini fridge that served as his storage unit. This room would have made much more sense as the apartment of a college student, as opposed to a grown man's abode. "Nothin' like a little booze to cool off after picking up a half-brother you have never seen from the most crowded airport in the country." Takeda commented, before popping the top and taking a gulp. Through the half open blinds, Seiji could see the sun set. This was probably how Takeda spent most of his evenings. He drank deeply of the beer, looking at the blank television screen. "Had to choose between the cable bill and the water bill. Shit, they don't pay me enough." There was something hard, almost sad, in Takeda's voice. Seiji sat there in silence, looking at the television screen, and through it, the reflection of his brother. It felt as if, in the tiny space between the two brothers, there was barrier thicker than steel.

The night dragged on, and eventually, Takeda passed out. After placing a blanket on him, Seiji tiptoed through the minefield of plates and empty glasses to get to the small bathroom. Inside were a mirror, a tiny, rust-filled sink, and an equally grimy toilet. The shower had a curtain, with nothing stopping the water from spreading on the floor. That certainly explained the rotten quality the wood possessed. Seiji's expression as he peered into his own reflection was a blank one. This year was shaping up to be a gloomy chapter in his life. Out of the corner of his eye, he could have sworn a blue butterfly was fluttering on the edge of the toilet. All that greeted Seiji as he turned to face the toilet was something floating in the water that Seiji didn't want to give too much thought to. Quickly, he flushed the toilet, heading outside to get some warm pajamas to put on after a shower.

Twenty minutes later, it was dark outside. The stench of the city lingered within his nostrils, the stench almost making him sick. Takeda was snoring on the couch, and the night went on. Eventually, his eyes grew heavy, and Seiji's thoughts drifted to what they always drifted to as he neared the barrier between his conscious mind and the murky realm of dreams. He thought of his time spent on the military base, and how people seemed to fade out of his life after relatively little time. A pang of loneliness overtook Seiji. To stave it off, he thought of one of his fondest memories, a helicopter ride with his father, over the countryside surrounding the base. Seiji remembered looking out, and gawking at the vast forest below. In this recollection, it was darker than he remembered, though. As a matter of fact, it was night time. This felt more real than it should have. He turned from the windows, and the whole room had turned a distinct, velvety shade of blue. Across from him was seated a strange, stumped man. Massive eyes stood shut above a nose that seemed to stretch across the table. Beneath the nose, gloved hands were wrapped around one another. To his side was a beautiful girl, with silver-blonde hair that flowed to below the hem of a blue knee-length dress. A faint smile was on her face. Slowly, the man's eyes opened. They were large, bloodshot, and seemed to be popping out of their sockets. "Welcome to the Velvet Room, my young friend." He said, in a voice that as almost amused.

"Ah, how unusual! It has been quite some time since we've had more than one guest at once! As a matter of fact, it has been years since such an occurrence was witnessed. My name is Igor; it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. This room exists between dream and reality. Between mind and matter. This will prove quite interesting. My assistant and I are here to…aid you. The immediate future marks a turning point in your destiny. A journey is imminent, and it is our duty to see that journey play out correctly. You will soon find yourself in a contract of a sort. I will give you a warning, the same warning I shall give to your fellow guest: I sense a strong contrast in your souls. You and they will come into conflict, although you shouldn't worry about that any time soon. For now, I find myself curious. What is your name?"  
Without a moment's hesitation, Seiji replied, "Dalton Seiji." A slight smile formed on Igor's face.

"I see. Well, allow me to introduce my assistant to you. Caroline, feel free to speak up, my dear." Igor did not turn his gaze away from Seiji, his large eyes forever staring into his very soul. The girl to the strange man's side giggled, ever so slightly.

"The name's Caroline. In the days to come, I look forward to observing you, and getting to know you better. Your name is a contrast of two cultures that reflect one another starkly as black and white. You find yourself in a strange place, with no friends. Your journey shall be an intriguing one." She gave him a slight, cute bow.

"For now, I bid you adieu, and wish you the best of luck in the coming days. And do not worry; you are fast asleep in the real world…" The world began to fade to black, Seiji finding his mind listlessly drifting through the murk, thoughtless real for a few moments. His eyes slowly opened, and light shone brightly through Takeda's blinds. Slowly, Seiji stood himself up, cracking his neck and looking around. His brother was still asleep on the couch. The dream from the night before remained vivid in his mind, the words of both the hunched man and the beautiful girl remaining clear in his head. _A journey is imminent _he recalled Igor saying. Standing up, he walked around the apartment. Something stuck out to him, amidst the gloomy, almost depressing mess in the room. On the wall hung a print of _Adoration of the Venus._ Takeda honestly didn't seem the type to admire such things. Takeda didn't seem the type to admire much of anything, but, perhaps Seiji had misjudged his older brother.

"Quit looking at that, dammit." Takeda growled from the couch. "I mean…we don't have time for you to sit around and admire paintings. We have to get you registered for school tomorrow. Dakkino High is on the outskirts of the city, on the other side of a little forest. It's kind of far away, but hell, that gets you out of my hair earlier every morning, and bus fares cost the same no matter how far you ride. Shit…hold on, let me shower, and we'll hit the road. Hot damn, we overslept, it's almost one in the afternoon." Seiji had turned to face him in the middle of Takeda's piece, and nodded at parts.

This bus ride wasn't much better than the last one, with Takeda looking listlessly out the window whilst Seiji looked ahead, quietly eager to get a look at his new high school. The endless trees rolled on by him, the forest seeming to stretch on forever. "Holy hell, this forest is bigger than I remember." Takeda remarked. The bus ride was thirty minutes long, and that was with only two stops along the way. As the school began to loom above them, Seiji's jaw dropped slightly. "They just received a huge donation, so they renovated. A bunch of new teachers, new classes, and some new, freeloading students were added." Once again, the bitter tone crept into Takeda's voice.

"I'm sorry." Seiji said, genuinely saddened by his presence causing his brother so much misery.

"I guess you can't do much. For once, I'm happy my room serves as an almost living cockblock, I won't have to worry 'bout waking up to whatever girl you inevitably charm moaning your name." As random as that comment was, Seiji couldn't help but smile at how brazen it was.

The interior was far too extravagant to be a public school, yet it apparently was just that. A few other people his age were there for registration, a bunch of which seemed to be first years. Seiji had a feeling that nobody there would be significant to him. That instinct proved correct, and the next few hours proved very dull. By the time Takeda and Seiji were done, the sun was again sinking into the horizon. As they waited at the bus stop, Takeda lit up a cigarette. For a few moments, Seiji reflected on his father's smoking habit, and how he had tried time and time again to get his father to quit. Out of instinct, he said, "You really should stop smoking, Takeda. It's bad for you."

"What I do isn't any of your goddamn business. I'm already pissed as it is that our mother decided to start caring about you just in time to make my life inconvenient." There was venom in those words, and both of them knew it.

"Don't get so worked up." Seiji commented, gazing off towards the forest. "I was just concerned, that's all. You _are _my brother."

A bitter laugh, and a trail of smoke, escaped from Takeda's lips. "You're a comedian, you know that? I only saw one or two pictures of you before a week ago, and then Mom up and tells me you're moving in with me. You, some _mutt_ that was the product of an alcoholic who couldn't keep her legs shut and some tough GI Joe son of a bitch that forgot all about her until she showed up with you under her arms. What reason do you even have for acting nice to me? I've been an asshole to you."

Quickly, and without hesitation, Seiji replied, "You're still family, even if you don't see it that way." Losing his calm, cool composure was a very, very rare thing for Seiji. Takeda stood up, and began to walk away.

"To hell with you, I'm not waiting on a bus."

Seiji reached out, grabbing his brother by the shoulder. In an instant, the larger man had whirled around, and socked Seiji square in the jaw. He stumbled back, and fell down onto the bench. In a moment, the world was completely black.

Eventually, Seiji regained consciousness, and nighttime had fallen in full force. The stars hovered in the skies far above. Other than that, it was almost pitch black, outside of the small light given off by a streetlamp above the bench. Looking around, Seiji saw trees on the edge of the light, in all directions. Confusion overtook him. "Long ago, in a dark forest, a traveler awoke." A voice called from nearby. Turning his head, Seiji saw a tall man, in a pure white body suit, leaning against the light pole. Long, blonde hair stretched down to the middle of his back, and the features of his face were rather androgynous. "Do not be alarmed. I am Philemon. Your guide. A light shining against the darkness." Philemon's voice was deep, comforting. He turned towards Seiji, and a half-mask in the shape of a butterfly became visible to Seiji. "Seiji Dalton. You find yourself within a forest that defies the laws of the human world. Somewhere, lost in this forest, is your brother, Yoshida Takeda. The forest is deep, and perhaps you will not find him. But, I offer you a choice. If you so choose, I can put you back to sleep, and you shall wake up in the morning, no worse for wear, but your brother will be lost. Your journey shall end before it truly begins. But, if you wish, I can awaken within you a power that will allow you to venture into the Dark Forest, both tonight, and every night after. In time, others will awaken to this power as well. It will be your burden, great as it is, to brave the forest, and find the cause of its abnormal growth. The power to save your brother will be in your grasp. The choice, my young friend, is yours." A faint, expectant smile was spreading across Philemon's face.

A normal person would have been taken aback by this, but Seiji was abnormal in many ways, and remained calm. He closed his eyes, and in a moment, opened them again. "Give me the power to venture into the forest. I have to rescue my brother." His face still throbbed where Takeda had struck him, but he couldn't just leave his brother trapped in this kind of place. Takeda was just a frustrated man in his mid-twenties, and he was still family. Seiji's voice was filled with determination.

"Very well." Philemon said, and reached towards Seiji. "Know that there is one condition to this power. You must abide by the consequences of your actions." The moment he finished speaking, Philemon's hand pressed onto his eyes, and the world seemed to invert for a moment. Seiji gasped for air, falling to his knees and grabbing two handfuls of soft, earthen dirt. In his head, a voice rang.

_I am thou. And thou art I._

In another moment, Seiji stood up, looking at the forest around him. Suddenly, everything outside of the light cast by the streetlamp became much clearer. There was a distinct purple tint to the world, but he could still make out the shapes and fine details of his surroundings. He could find his way. Above him, a blue butterfly fluttered. Out of instinct, Seiji followed. He walked further into the forest, never once stopping to ponder how he'd ever find his way out. Step by step, he walked through the forest, the atmosphere filled with a heavy sort of foreboding. Seiji felt slightly afraid, but he wasn't going to let that show, not when something was happening to his brother. Around the edges of his vision, Seiji saw what seemed to be large, murky blotches of ink gather, never approaching, but always remaining within sight. Still, the butterfly flew. Off in the distance, Seiji heard his brother scream. Not a scream of pain, or of fear, but an angry, defiant scream. The young teenager broke into a swift run, that was interrupted for a few moments by a flash of pain on the top of his head. _…am thou._

The butterfly fluttered above a clearing in the forest. It was brightly lit by a fire in the center, over which Takeda was floating. There was something…_different_ about his brother. A thick cowl covered his head_, _Takeda's dark eyes being the only thing Seiji could recognize. "Why, heh, look, it's a little mortal, come to make a deal with Mephistopheles. How much is the mind, body, and soul of this pathetic man worth to you? You should know by now that he doesn't truly consider you his brother, Dalton Seiji." The thing wearing the skin of Seiji's brother said, in a voice that was both demonic, and distinctly Takeda.

"I don't know who, or what you are, but my brother is coming back with me." Seiji said, his voice filled with determination. Another throb of pain overtook him, which again caused him to gasp. _…art I. _

"I don't think you're doing so well, my friend. Say the word, and I can produce a cure to your ailment. All it'll cost you…is that soul dwelling within you. At least you have a soul noteworthy enough to trade. Takeda is merely another cog in a machine he hates. A product of a society that rejects beauty, and finery in place of that which can be commercialized, and can be presented well. He masks his pain behind the dyed hair, the pierced ears, the attitude, and the alcohol, but nothing can change just how pathetic he is." Below Mephistopheles, the fire crackled, turning into a roaring blaze. It began to spread towards Seiji. "How pathetic, why would you even call someone like that your brother?"

A serious expression crossed Seiji's face, and his hands curled into fists. "Because he _is _part of my family. I don't have much, and not a one of them, from my father, to my mother, and now Takeda, are easy to get along with, but he _is_ my brother. And even if he wasn't, I'd still rescue him, because it's the right thing to do."

For a few moments, Mephistopheles seemed stunned, or was that Takeda? The astonishment soon turned to amusement, and the man wearing the face of his brother floated higher into the air, laughing madly all the while. "You're so adorably naïve. And you want to know the best part? _It's Takeda saying that~! _He thinks you're being an idiot. Telling you to get out of here…not that I'd let him say that. But it's far too late for any of that. I suppose you'll have to _die now._" The fire began to rapidly move towards Seiji, and time seemed to slow down, the flames still approaching, but slower.

_I am thou…_ the voice called again. This time, there was no pain. Just a feeling of resolution, and the feeling of wonder when taking the first step on a long journey.

_And thou art I…_ The flames crept closer, but Seiji felt safe, as if whatever was about to happen would keep him safe from harm.

_The moment has come. Awaken to your power._

A card floated down towards Seiji's palm, which was bathed in the same, faint blue light as the butterfly. Suddenly, Seiji muttered a word, unsure as to why, but none the less, he did it. "Per…" he began, the flames were close enough to feel hot, "…so…" he continued, the flames finding themselves at his feet, "…na." the card was in the palm of his hands. Instinctively, Seiji crushed the card, and a great gust of wind blew over the area, kicking the flames away, whilst also knocking Mephistopheles over. In the midst of the whirlwind, tinted a distinct shade of green, Seiji stood, a confident smile on his face. Behind him stood a massive figure, whose legs were clad in jagged steel leggings. A similar armor covered his chest, with a large hole revealing a beating heart. A moderate sized v-shaped area was also left open and unprotected by the chest plate, exposing a metallic, but distinctly fleshy, chest. His left arm was bare, whilst the right proudly held a long sword, one that glowed with a dim light. A half-helm covered the figure's head, protecting the right side of his face, and every bit of his left, except for a large, dim hole, out of which a blue eye shined brightly.

"From the sea of your soul I have emerged, and I shall protect you from this day, until your last. This I swear. I am Arthur, the once and future king. My sword is your sword. "

Arthur lunged forward, sending another gust of wind forward with his left hand that clashed with a blaze sent by Mephistopheles. Whilst the elements clashed, the creature wearing Takeda's skin used the opportunity to create a scythe out of flames, one that lit the area up brightly. The blotchy figures that had followed Seiji through the woods now openly traced towards them, making no attempt to hide their presence. It looked as if the forest's innate malevolence was about to swallow them up. As if sensing Seiji's concern, Arthur spun in a circle, generating a whirlwind that kept the creatures at bay, momentarily. He then lunged at Mephistopheles, sword clashing with scythe, Arthur fighting with all the fury and courage of a king. The whole situation confused Seiji, but he didn't think twice about it then. There was no time to dwell on the fine details when in a life or death battle over the soul of your brother, after all. His persona pushed Mephistopheles back more and more, each strike causing the creature to groan, spit, and growl. "Don't think you've won so easily boy, just because you know a cheap parlor trick." The creature mustered all of his strength, sending a mighty slash towards Arthur that caused the Persona to jump back towards Seiji. Silently, the armored figure glared at Mephistopheles.

A smile spread across the cowled figure, which smiled and sent a large blaze out towards the whirlwind. Before Arthur could get in close enough to stop him, the wind was dispersed, and the blotched poured into the clearing. Floating in the black sea, Seiji noticed numerous, identical masks, each bearing a middling expression and a large XVI on the forehead. "That's right, to me, shadows! Give the strength to kill this little boy, who thinks himself enough of a man to brave the dark forest." As if on command, the 'shadows', as Mephistopheles called them, rushed forward and attached themselves to him. The figure grew and grew, until its height was even with the trees. As the figure gained in size, it seemed to have no more use for Takeda, who found himself spat out, launching towards Seiji at a high speed.

"Catch him, Arthur!" Seiji said, desperation in his voice. Arthur nodded, and flew forward, catching Takeda and floating through the air with him, before drifting back. Takeda was gently sat down by Seiji, who held his brother close. "If your sword is really pledged to me, then stop him." With the second command given, Arthur wordlessly launched up towards the growing blotch of shadows. If he wasn't stopped soon, then this was going to turn very ugly, fast. With an astounding speed, Arthur flew towards Mephistopheles, and slashed through his middle. Within his mind, Seiji felt a huge swell of power during the slash, which quickly subsided. The boy fell to the ground, panting. The shadows all screamed, lunging towards Arthur as they continued to attempt a fuse, Mephistopheles's voice echoing commands above them all. Seiji focused every bit of power he could feel as Arthur charged up a massive blast of wind, which gathered at the tip of his sword. Arthur extended the blade outward, towards the shadows. They sluggishly moved towards it, and Arthur fired his shot, which tore into the shadows, destroying them and only leaving an empty cowl laying on the ground.

"What the fuck?" Takeda weakly asked, as Seiji began to feel his brother stir within his arms. Takeda's eyes opened, and weakly looked up at Seiji. "I knocked you out cold…told you to fuck off, and you end up rescuing me from…me. God dammit." He muttered, weakly, and somehow managed to stand up. Seiji stood up with him, staying close behind his brother in case he fell. Takeda never did, and he walked towards where Arthur stood, looking over the empty cowl. "That thing came from you?" Takeda asked, somehow aware of what was going on.  
"Yeah, that thing came from me. " Was Seiji's simple reply. Takeda smiled, just a little.

"Weak, pathetic mortal…" Mephistopheles growled, his voice coming from the empty cloak, "you know…I spoke the truth…you are weak, and your life is heading towards nowhere but the grave. I offered you peace…an early way out. And yet…you refused that. Wh-"

The creature was cut off by Takeda's foot stomping onto the cloak's cowl, an angry expression on his face. "Shut the fuck up, you cheap imitation. My life is going nowhere. I have no friends my age. My family is shit. I tell myself that every day. Your words don't hurt me, they don't degrade me. You're just blowing air outta your ass. I'm me, and I hate that fact so much, but _you're _not going to do _shit _to me." There was fire in Takeda's voice. A blue glow overcame the area surrounding Takeda, the light reaching up to the sky. Mephistopheles, from within the empty cloak, seemed to nod at Takeda, before transforming into a figure around Arthur's size. The figure was withered, its thin body half concealed by torn black wraps. The persona's skin was monochrome, looking cool to Seiji in a rather artistic way. A thin, gray beard that ended in three spikes stretched from the bottom of his chin. His hands were bound by tight, steel chains that caused him to bleed. The hands were black, bloodless. It…fit Takeda, in an odd way. "Faust…" Takeda muttered, collapsing to his knees as the Persona vanished. In its place was a card, which bore a mask on one side, and a lightning struck tower on the other.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Seiji said, picking Takeda up. The brothers shambled together, out of the forest. Behind them, Arthur stood for a moment, before vanishing back into the sea of Seiji's soul. "I think I know the way out of the forest, can you walk?"

"Yeah," Takeda began, stumbling forward. "Seiji…that shit you said when that thing…" Takeda began, sounding somewhat…apologetic?

"Yeah, I meant it. And don't worry about an apology. We don't want to ruin my impression of you as an asshole, do we?" Seiji asked, partially rhetorically.

"Heh, we sure don't." The two walked in silence for some time. Takeda seemed to know where he was going. Seiji assumed that when his brother awakened to the power of his Persona, he was also able to see the forest. Onward they walked, instinct leading them more than anything. Eventually, they came to a forested road. In an instant, the world changed around them. The pair found themselves on a street on Wanaki, on the outskirts of town. "The hell?" Takeda asked, looking around. Something occurred to Seiji, so for the first time since waking up, he checked his cell phone. The time was three thirty four in the morning. When informed of that, Takeda raised an eyebrow. "Shit…I knew it was late. When we get back to the apartment, I'll tell you what I remember."

Thirty minutes later, they were inside the apartment. Takeda turned the lights on, and looked at Seiji curiously. "Hey, did you see that vending machine at the shop next door? I'll go get you a drink, since you're too young to be offered a beer. What do you want?"

After considering for a moment, Seiji replied, "Doctor Salt NEO, please." Seiji was sitting on the couch, lounging and ready for sleep when Takeda returned. After popping the top, he drank deeply of the liquid, and burped. It was not Seiji's best moment, but after what they'd been through, he felt a few liberties could be taken. "I always loved these, when I was back on the base. I drank so many of them, and so much water, that Dad thought I was part fish."

"Or part boozehound. You get it from your mother." Takeda seemed a little less on edge. "But anyway, you probably wanna know what happened, don't you? Well, to be honest…I'm not really sure. I walked off after socking you, so pissed off I could barely think, and I took a shortcut through the forest. When night fell, the forest changed. And, shit, I don't know. I remember someone offered me help, and next thing I knew, you were fighting with King fucking Arthur at your side to help me. And now, I have that power, too. Ugh, shit…my head hurts. Son of a bitch, you've got school tomorrow, and I've gotta manage the shop downstairs. Look, I think we should forget all about this, and carry on with our lives. If you wanna miss school tomorrow, I'll call Mom and get her to give me the money for us to head to the doctor for a visit to get an excuse."

Seiji shook his head. "No, no. That's fine. I'll be fine. Although, maybe you could wait as late as possible to wake me up." After a quick shower, Seiji once again found himself looking up at the ceiling. The events of the day, and what occurred in the dark forest, still fresh in his mind. Takeda's notion to forget about it also floated amongst his thoughts, as did the words of Philemon, about it being his duty to explore the forest. In almost no time, Seiji found himself falling into a dream, and the world turned blue.

Elsewhere, Junpei was breathing heavily, walking through a dark street on the wrong side of Wanaki with a large, sheathed katana in one hand, and an evoker in the other. "Damn, it looks like Mitsuru was on to something." He commented. As he moved through the streets, Junpei noticed several shady characters back away at the sight of the katana and what they assumed was a gun. If only they knew. After investigating rumors and the like in the city, he'd been informed of a forest that was the subject of local folklore, between Wakani and one of the larger high schools. After investigating, he'd found himself cornered. Junpei thought he was about to give up the ghost, when the shadows found themselves interested in something else. As he'd rushed to investigate, he found himself on the city streets again. After finding somewhere deserted enough, he pulled out his cell phone and pressed four. "Yo, Mitsuru, it's Junpei. I don't even wanna know how things are going in America. We've got a situation here. Yeah. I know I'm on my own. Uhuh. There's a forest here teeming with shadows. We might potentially be dealing with a level three incident here. Hell, maybe even level four, like what happened in Inaba. Yeah. And that's not all. I think…there might be Persona users here. You know how you said you felt the night Minato first used his Persona? It's the same thing. I even have an idea of who our newest guy might be. I know you can't come, but pull some strings and get me the address of Yoshida Takeda."

[Writer's Notes: And, there you have it. Chapter One. I'm surprised I actually wrote all of that, to tell you the truth. I'm giving myself a congratulatory pat on the back. Well, thanks for reading, everyone, if you made it this far. If you have questions ,comments, constructive criticisms, please leave me a review. I'd like to hear what you all what like more of, less of, comments on the pace, and particularly the handling of Junpei. In my stories, I rarely use canon characters, but I felt it was necessary to do so, to establish a sort of 'anchor' to the 'real' Persona series. Thanks for reading, and heres to me making it to chapter two!]


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